Metal Gear Solid games, crafted by Hideo Kojima, merge a stealth-based combat system with a cinematic storytelling experience. As a special ops agent, you are tasked with infiltrating enemy camps to complete complex missions. To achieve your objectives, employ strategies to remain untraceable and avoid dangers.Hideo Kojima has also injected some unexplained supernatural elements into the world of Metal Gear Solid to add some necessary depth. To explore them all, you can play the titles by release or in chronological order. If you want to follow the latter, this article lists the games in a sequence and discusses the timelines.Also read: Is Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater Digital Deluxe Edition worth buying?Exploring Metal Gear Solid games in chronological order1) Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake EaterA Snake Eater remake is under production (Image via Konami)The events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater fall first in the timeline. Set in the year 1964, i.e., during the Cold War, the story follows the experience of Naked Snake while he is sent to the Soviet Union to extract a Russian scientist; doing so will prevent a potential nuclear war.However, Naked Snake will be betrayed by his mentor, The Boss. Although you defeat her in the final battle, the CIA operative becomes disillusioned about his duty.Release year: 20042) Metal Gear Solid: Portable OpsMetal Gear Solid: Portable Ops' story kicks off six years after Snake Eater. Naked Snake, now known as Big Boss, discovers that his former unit has betrayed the CIA. With FOX entering a rebellious state, it is up to the protagonist to confront Gene, the leader of the squad.Big Boss stops yet another nuclear war and further prevents FOX from establishing a state of mercenary soldiers. He then returns to the US to form FOXHOUND with other special operatives.Release year: 2006Also read: Top 5 games in the Metal Gear Solid franchise3) Metal Gear Solid: Peace WalkerBig Boss infiltrates the Motherbase in Peace Walker (Image via Konami)In Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Big Boss has left FOXHOUND to create the Militaires Sans Frontières with mercenaries. In 1974, the squad picked up an investigation regarding “Peace Walker,” a powerful bipedal tank. The mech, somehow associated with The Boss, is being developed at an oil rig called the Motherbase.Big Boss, with the assistance of his newly formed Militaires Sans Frontières group, shuts down the operation. He also battles his former ally Paz, the real mastermind of the project and a secret agent from Cipher.Release year: 2010Also read: Why Konami should remaster Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker4) Metal Gear Solid V: Ground ZeroesWitness Snake's espionage mission at Camp Omega (Image via Konami)The events in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes take place a few months after the Peace Walker incident. Paz has mysteriously survived the battle, but is now being interrogated by Cipher at Camp Omega. Upon learning this, Snake infiltrates the base to extract her and succeeds only to meet a tragedy.A mysterious organization, XOF, led by Skull Face, attacks the Mother Base. Yes, Snake’s headquarters is destroyed, and he almost dies in the onslaught.Release year: 2014Also read: 5 best stealth action games to play while waiting for Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater5) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom PainThe Phantom Pain follows Snake's pursuit of vengeance (Image via Konami)Snake wakes up from a nine-year coma at the beginning of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. He then narrowly escapes an assassination attempt at the hospital in Cyprus, thanks to Revolver Ocelot.Filled with vengeance, Snake swears to destroy XOF with the Diamond Dogs mercenary group. The investigation leads him to Afghanistan and Africa, where he further learns about Skull Face’s new parasitic weapon. The entire game portrays Snake’s pursuit of vengeance, as he constantly battles Skull Face’s forces.He eventually becomes a ruthless leader aiming to create the Outer Heaven military nation. Players must brace themselves for an epic plot twist by the end of The Phantom Pain.Release year: 2015Also read: Is Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain worth playing in 2025?6) Metal GearWhile Metal Gear is the oldest title from the series, it picks up 11 years after The Phantom Pain. We witness Solid Snake, FOXHOUND’s rookie agent, being sent on his first espionage mission. His objective is to rescue Gray Fox from Outer Heaven and investigate the bipedal tank capable of nuclear warfare.Solid Snake succeeds in rescuing the captured agent and destroys Metal Gear. It turns out the mission is a setup by his current mentor, Big Boss, to kill him. In the final battle, the rookie agent defeats his new nemesis, which earns him a legendary status.Release year: 19877) Metal Gear 2: Solid SnakeThe retired Solid Snake jumps back to action four years later after learning that Big Boss has survived. He first infiltrates Zanzibar Land to rescue a scientist named Dr. Kio Marv, who invented a revolutionary energy source. Solid Snake then battles his allies, including Gray Fox, to reach Big Boss.In the final battle. we see Solid Snake engaging Big Boss in hand-to-hand combat. The latter gets taken down by a flamethrower.Release year: 1990Also read: Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater minimum and recommended system requirements8) Metal Gear SolidMetal Gear Solid also follows the story of Solid Snake as he takes on the mission to eradicate the rogue FOXHOUND squad. Six years after Big Boss’ defeat, the organization threatens to launch a nuclear strike unless their demands are met. It is up to Snake to confront his former allies and stop the new threat, i.e., Metal Gear REX.After defeating Liquid Snake, the FOXHOUND leader, the protagonists learn a new truth. Apparently, the government set up the whole incident to test the new genetically engineered soldiers. He retrieves all the information about the project before going into hiding.Release year: 19989) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyTwo years later, Solid Snake pops up on the radar while trying to infiltrate a tanker carrying the prototype of a new superweapon. The incident sets the stage for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Since Snake was declared as the enemy, the US government deployed Raiden to stop him. Raiden first rescues the president, and then goes on to stop the rogue Sons of Liberty group.Snake, who is in disguise, assists Raiden in defeating the terrorist group. In an unexpected twist, the entire Sons of Liberty incident turns out to be a simulation. This discovery sends Raiden into an existential crisis.Release year: 200110) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the PatriotsSolid Snake takes on a final mission in Guns of the Patriots (Image via Konami/ The Game Awards)In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Solid Snake could be seen aging rapidly due to his cloned genes. However, he sets out on one last mission in 2014, which involves assassinating Liquid Ocelot, who was eager to hijack the Patriot system. He reunites with his allies to battle Liquid’s elite forces while tackling the FOXDIE virus, which is presumably a bioweapon in his body.Snake uses the virus to disrupt Patriots' network, liberating the world from digital warfare. Big Boss later appears in the scene, revealing Liquid Ocelot’s plan to destroy the Patriots' AI system.Release year: 2008Also read: Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater pre-order guide11) Metal Gear Rising: RevengeanceA spin-off about cyber ninja Raiden (Image via Konami)Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, a spin-off set four years after Guns of the Patriots, follows the story of Raiden, who has transformed into a cyborg ninja. He works for Maverick Security and has been sent on a protection mission where his convoy is ambushed by Desperado Enforcement LLC.Fuelled by his desire for vengeance, Raiden goes into a frenzy, slashing down every Desperado member. Raiden finally battles the nanite-enhanced Senator Steven Armstrong after discovering his evil doings.Release year: 2013Also read: 7 best action-adventure games to play while waiting for Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater